Axis IP Cameras Monitor Peregrine Falcons

A pair of Peregrine Falcons breeding in Norwich are being watched and monitored using IP surveillance equipment supplied by Axis Communications

The second pair of breeding Peregrine Falcons to be seen in Norwich for a century is being closely monitored by the Hawk and Owl Trust thanks to video encoders from Axis Communications.

When the pair of breeding birds was spotted flying around Norwich Cathedral, the national charity asked the authorities if they could erect a nesting platform to record live footage of the birds. The Cathedral gave the Trust the go-ahead, so it started to look for a surveillance system that could deliver high quality, real-time footage.

Having decided the iCode Systems' iCatcher Console recording solution was the perfect solution to manage the footage, the Trust needed to select a wireless solution and camera that were compatible with the iCode system and that offered high quality footage.

As an Axis partner, iCode was able to recommend that a high resolution external camera should be used and converted to IP using AXIS Q7404 H.264 video encoders.

David Gittens from The Hawk and Owl Trust said: "It was vital that the footage provided by the camera was of excellent quality so that we could closely monitor and share footage of the birds."

Axis video encoders convert analogue video signals into high quality, digital video streams that are sent over an IP network. They are easy to connect to analogue pan/tilt/zoom (PTZ) cameras, allowing for easy operation across the IP network making the images far easier to search through and share.

The Hawk and Owl Trust has been delighted by the results, David continues: "The real time access delivered by this high quality footage gives us a real insight into the life of these magnificent birds."

Phil Doyle, regional director, Northern Europe at Axis Communications, said: "We are so pleased that our video encoders have been a part of this exciting project and have helped the Hawk and Owl Trust learn more about Peregrine Falcons.

"In fact, footage taken from the cameras is of such a high quality that a local news station was able to use it to showcase the project. It has also proved to be an invaluable educational tool for the charity.

"This use of our encoders just goes to show that IP surveillance systems can be used for so much more than just crime prevention and security."